What Do You Think of Me
by x-DragonSoul-x
Summary: In a desperate attempt to make up with Marta, Emil ends up dissing the entire Symphonia cast. Of course, they're all behind the bushes listening, and they're not too happy. Chaos ensures. What happens when the Lord of Monsters enters the fray? MartaxEmil


**Author Note: **So one day my friend and I had fun coming up with a bunch of stupid and/or funny things about the Symphonian cast. I thought the stuff we came up with was pretty good, so I decided to make a fanfiction out of it. This is just a cute, funny fluff piece that I wrote. It takes place towards the end of the game before they go to the Martel Temple. There are spoilers so don't read it if you haven't beaten the game. And note that the character's personalities are changed a little to make it funnier (ex: Childish Lloyd, Abusive Genis, Diabolical Marta) It has kind of a mushy ending but I hope you like it. This is my first Symphonia fic so I hope I did good. Now please read, enjoy and review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World. Why do I have to admit it?! Of course I don't own it! *has emotional breakdown.*

* * *

What Do You Think of Me

Emil, the clueless teen suffering from multiple personality disorder and Marta, the overreacting ironing board sat next to the fire in some foresty place, while the rest of the Symphonia cast was off doing… other stuff…

Marta was playing with the end of one of her long pony tails. Obviously something was on her mind. She was trying to get Emil to notice her.

Emil sat across from her on a log, staring at the fire, just staring…

Marta sighed deeply. Emil just kept on staring. Marta sighed again and again her knight didn't notice.

Very annoyed Marta sighed once more, though it was more like an angry groan. Emil looked up from the fire and asked blankly, "Did you say something Marta?"

_Finally!_ Marta thought.

In a very sweet, innocent voice Marta said, "Emil, what do you think of me?"

"What!" Emil screeched in his worried girlie voice. "I- well- that is, umm…"

Seeing his chance, Tenebrae came out of the shadows to mess up yet more people's lives. "He finds you very attractive, Lady Marta." Tenebrae said plainly.

"He does!" Marta swooned in a very girlish way.

"Huh?" stammered Emil. The Centurion was always trying to wreck his life, this wasn't right.

"Of course he also finds you needy, nagging, annoying, delusional, lardaceous and dare I say it, too much. He practically despised you when you first met."

Emil's eye's widened in horror. The Centurion gave him an evil smirk.

Marta's mushy gushy expression melted into one of shocked anger. "What… did you say…" Marta practically growled, suppressing a floodgate of fury.

Emil was to stunned to speak.

"Oh, and he also finds your cooking repulsive." Tenebrae added blissfully.

"Emil!!!" Marta snapped jumping to her feet. "Is that really what you think about me!" She looked about ready to strangle a cat.

"What- No! Tenebrae-!" Emil pleaded helplessly. The Centurion gave a spiteful cackle and disappeared into the shadows. Leaving Emil to face the wrath of the Ironing Board.

Emil turned to face her. She was walking steadily towards him.

"Marta…" he said cautiously backing away.

"You insensitive jerk!" Marta screamed and grabbed her Spinner. "I'm going to kill you!" She began to chase him around the campfire crazily, Emil screaming for his life.

* * *

"Why are we shucking corn?" Lloyd the Great asked dubiously looking at the small knife and ear of corn in his hand.

"Beats me," replied Zelos who was sitting next to Sheena, also shucking corn.

Suddenly Genis came seemingly out of nowhere. "It needs to be shucked!" he yelled a wooden spoon in his hand.

"But why? What are you even making?" Zelos inquired.

"It's a surprise." Genis turned around and pouted rather child-like.

Sheena moaned. "This is lame."

"You're lame!" Genis retorted. "Now SHUCK!" His wooden spoon was poised for slapping.

Hastily Lloyd, Zelos and Sheena returned to their work. Genis went back to wherever he was preparing the stuff.

"It's not so bad for you guys," Zelos commented after awhile.

Lloyd and Sheena looked up. "Why not?" Lloyd asked, thinking he probably shouldn't.

"You guys get to look at my beautiful figure while I do all the work." replied the Idiot Chosen.

"What!" Sheena said indignantly. "You've been doing absolutely nothing! I should-"

"Uh-oh." Zelos teased. "Looks like someone's getting feisty."

"Oh shut up Zelos!" Sheena said, irritated. "Don't make me smack you!" But before she even finished her sentence she punched Zelos right in the nose.

"Ow! Not my beautiful face!" He got up clutching his nose and retreated a few steps.

Lloyd sighed. The best thing he could do was not get involved.

"Why do you always warn me, after you smack me?" Zelos whined.

"That's not all I can do." said the she-ninja, rising to her feet.

"Oh-ho bring it on!" Zelos challenged.

Sheena smirked, "Celsius! I summon-"

"What! No fair!" Zelos whined. "You can't do that!"

"Watch me!"

"Oh crap!" Zelos began to retreat when Raine's voice rang through the woods.

"Zelos! Stop! Don't move!"

Zelos, Sheena and Lloyd watched as Half-elf school teacher came running up to them, a crazed look on her face. She stooped down right where Zelos's foot would have stepped next and picked up a small pebble.

"Zelos, you almost crushed this priceless artifact!"

"Huh?" Zelos's face held a look of confusion. "The… pebble?"

"This is not just a pebble!" the Professor roared causing them to flinch. "See this marking?" She pointed to a minuscule blue dot on the pebble that only she would see.

Lloyd, Zelos and Sheena all squinted at the tiny rock.

"I don't see anything," Sheena said bluntly.

"This marking," Raine went on, "signifies that this was used by the ancient Sylvaranti as currency!"

"Oh no!" Lloyd said, a panicked look in his eyes. "Not Ruin Mode!"

"I've never seen a specimen in such a good condition," she mused. "This particular piece was worth about twenty gald and-"

"Look!" Zelos shouted, pointed in some random direction. "An ancient Sylvaranti Rainbow Pyramid!"

She gasped "Where! I must study it!" Raine instantly ran off in the direction he pointed.

"What the- I just made that up…" Zelos muttered. "Well see ya!" He ran off into the woods.

"You can't just run off like that!" Sheena shouted after him. "Get back here!"

So Sheena and Lloyd ran after him.

* * *

"Hyah!" roared Regal, the weak metal of his handcuffs shattering under the force of his killer biceps. "Excellent," he said, pleased with himself. "Presea, please hand me another pair."

"Why is it you are doing this Regal?" Presea asked in her strange monotonous voice as she went over to a giant box labeled: handcuffs. She selected one and handed it to Regal.

He skillfully clasped them onto his wrists as if he had done it a hundred times (which he probably had.)

"Because Presea, Hyah!, *snap* it keeps me in shape and helps me think." _And makes me feel young. He thought bitterly._

"What sort of things do you think about?" Presea asked and handed him another pair.

_About being young. _"About where to buy more handcuffs," he lied.

"Oh…"

* * *

"Think I lost 'em. Oof!" Zelos was walking along talking to himself when he smacked right into Colette, causing the both of them to fall over.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Zelos!" He pulled her to her feet.

"Nah it's okay," Zelos replied.

Colette dusted herself off. "So what are you doing out here?"

"Hiding from Raine," he said frankly. "How 'bout you?"

"I'm looking for my Halos." She look frustrated. "You know, the ones I use as weapons."

"Uhh yeah… Colette they're…" Zelos stared at the glowing rings sitting atop her head.

"No time to talk Zelos, I've got to find those Halos."

Just then Tenebrae went walking by. "Oh! Mr. Doggie!" Colette called and went running towards Tenebrae. The Centurion looked mortified and ran for his life. "Have you seen my Halos?"

"Wait Colette!" Zelos ran after her.

They came to a clearing with a giant box labeled: handcuffs.

"Oh no, I lost him." Colette said disappointedly. Then she noticed Regal and Presea. "Oh! Hey guys. Have you seen my Halos?"

Zelos came racing up to them. "Jeez Colette, since when were you so fast. Oh hi Regal, Presea."

They just stared in surprise at their two friends who had come out of nowhere.

"I really have to find my Halos." Colette complained. "I swore I put them somewhere where I would find them…"

Regal was amazed that the Chosen of Regeneration hadn't noticed them sitting atop her head. "Colette, your Halos are-"

"I'm going to kill you Emil!" The voice rang out through the clearing.

"That sounds like Marta's voice," Presea said flatly.

Zelos stifled a chuckle. "Wonder what trouble the kid's got himself into now."

"I think its coming from over here." Colette muttered and ran off… again…

Regal and Presea looked from her to Zelos, he just shrugged. "That's Colette," he said good-naturedly.

They followed her to a line of bushes where she was jumping to try and see over.

"I think their on the other side of this bush." Colette told them.

"Colette," Regal reprimanded, "it is impolite to eavesdrop."

"Marta, stop it! Agh!" Emil yelped from the other side.

Zelos drew closer to the hedge. "Ooh, good a fight. What'd I miss?"

Regal sighed and shook his head disapprovingly.

From the other side of the hedges, Emil was dodging Marta's angry Spinner strikes.

"Marta! Please!" Emil cried, jumping to the left.

"No! Not until you get what you deserve!" Marta hissed. "Tempest Swallow!"

"Agh!"

-

"Shouldn't we do something?" Presea asked.

"No, this is too fun to watch!" replied the Idiot Chosen

-.

"Tenabrae was just joking!" Emil said desperately. "I don't despise you!"

"You liar!" Fire burned in her eyes. "You would never tell me you loved me and now I know why!" She sprang up in the air and slashed down. With a pitiful shout Emil jumped out of the way.

Knowing that she wouldn't listen to him, he tried something else.

"I didn't like Colette when we first met her either!"

"Why are you bringing up Colette?!" She shouted furiously. "You do love her more than me! Don't you!"

"What? No! That's not what I meant!" he cried dodging another strike. "I meant, I thought she was always such a klutz and found it annoying that she always took everything literally!"

On the other side of the bush Colette's face turned red. "I'm not like that!" she said indignantly. "I'm not always a klutz"

Zelos looked at the Halos on her head. "Yeah, you are,"

Emil's plan was obviously not working. "I didn't like Presea either!" he said dodging another bout of Roaring Phoenix. "Her hair scares me and she always talks weird!"

"We all think that!" Marta roared. "And why are you only bringing up girls! Are they all you think about!"

"No! I mean-"

Beyond the bush Presea stared coldly at everyone.

"Is this what you think?" Her fuchsia pigtails brushed past Regal.

No one spoke. There were hurried footsteps behind them.

"There you are Zelos!" Sheena glared at him, Lloyd following close behind. "How could you just ditch us with Raine like that? I-"

"Shhh," Zelos hushed. "We're listening to Emil and Marta fight."

"Oh come on guys," Lloyd said. "That's despicable."

"Zelos is scary too!" Emil cried.

The Eternal Swordsman's interest was piqued. "I gotta hear this," he said and moved closer to the bush.

When Emil said this, Marta stopped chasing him, momentarily forgetting her anger.

"Yeah?" she said smiling slightly. "What about him?"

_Of course! Zelos!_ Emil thought relieved. _She hates him as much as I do!_

"Well, I never really got why he wears pink," Emil stated.

"It's not pink!" Zelos exclaimed, Marta and Emil couldn't hear him.

"And he has such long hair, and wears a bandanna." A sick thought entered Emil's head, one that he hoped would distract Marta from her anger. "I know he hits on every girl with a pulse, but… I kinda think he's gay."

-

"What!" Zelos cried out, face turning redder than his hair. "I'm- no- wha-!" Everyone around him started laughing hysterically. Sheena was doubled over pointing at him, and Lloyd was on the ground rolling with laughter. Regal too, was laughing though he tried to hide it. Presea even smiled slightly. Colette just looked confused.

"I don't get it," she said cocking her head to the side. "Of course Zelos is gay, he's always so happy and cheerful…" This of course caused them to laugh harder.

Zelos' face had surpassed red and went straight to purple. If there was one thing he hated most, it was being made fun of. "I'm gonna kill that kid!" He tried to charge through the bush but Sheena and Lloyd grabbed him and held him where he was, still laughing.

-

"What!" Marta's face drew into a wide smile, she started laughing at Emil's strange joke. Emil laughed along nervously. _She bought it._ he thought.

Marta laughed in spite of herself. It was so true! So ridiculous. She almost forgot her anger. Almost.

From across the clearing, Marta saw the bushes shake and a figure charge out only to be pulled back by two sets of arms. Suddenly a thought came to her. She knew how to give Emil what he deserved.

"What about Sheena?" she asked Emil.

"Sheena?"

-

"Dinner's ready you g-… What's going on?" Genis asked finding six of his friends all huddled around a bush.

"Zelos is gay!" Lloyd said hysterically.

"Okay…" Genis mumbled. He couldn't help coming over to see what was so special about the bush.

-

"Sheena?" Emil asked. "I don't get how she can stand a minute in battle armed with little pieces of paper, I mean what's she going to do? Give me a paper cut?"

Marta giggled, Emil joined her.

"And I always thought she was a little old to wear what she wears."

-

"Oooooh." Genis smirked at Sheena's dumbstruck face.

"You got that right!" agreed Zelos, finding comfort in her embarrassment.

"Shut up you guys! I'm only twenty-one!" Sheena snapped. "I'll smack you!" I don't need to explain what she did next. "That kid's gonna get it!" she exclaimed as Zelos rubbed his painful face. Genis had been spared

-

Marta was enjoying this. She moved on to her next victim knowing Emil would be the one to pay.

"And Regal?"

"Uhh," Emil stumbled. He really liked Regal, he couldn't think of anything bad about him. Hastily he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"His feet smell."

Marta burst into another round of laughter.

-

From beyond the bush the Symphonia gang tried to mask their laughter at Regal but was no use. Regal just stared, he didn't say anything but his cheeks flushed. Just then, Professor Sage came walking up to them.

"There you are," she said. "I did not find a Ancient Rainbow Pyramid in that direction. You must have been mistaken Zelos."

"What…?" Zelos muttered.

"Why is everyone gathered here?"

-

"How about Raine?" Marta asked. She had taken a seat on a log, Emil still standing.

"Hmm. When I first met her, because of her white hair I thought she was really old. She even has the weird pale complexion thing that old people have" Emil replied.

_Ooh, she's not going to like that!_ Marta thought with a snicker. "How old?" she persisted.

"Really old," Emil said with a chuckle. "Like fifty or sixty. Enough to be my grandma."

-

"I-" Raine was dumbstruck.

"You know, now that you mention it…" Lloyd grinned mischievously.

Raine turned around. "Mr. Irving, I will expect a thirty page essay on the Sylvarant Dynasty due tomorrow," she said irritably.

"What!" Lloyd exclaimed. "You can't do that!"

"Mr. Irving, I am your teacher. You must do as I say."

Lloyd groaned. "This is so unfair, it was just a joke…"

-

"Genis?" Marta asked.

"He's kind of a midget don't you think?" Emil couldn't hear Genis' angry outburst.

"I am not a midget!" he cried. "I just haven't had my growth spurt…"

"What is he, like fourteen?" Emil continued. "And I don't think his cooking is so great either."

Marta's eyes glittered as she moved on to her final victim. "And what about Lloyd?"

Everyone behind the bush's ears perked up. They all looked at Lloyd with evil smirks. Lloyd eyes widened nervously and he gulped.

Emil came and sat down next to Marta. "I always thought he was kind of an idiot."

Everyone behind the bush nodded.

"That's our Lloyd!" Zelos said, enjoying his friend's torture.

"Always rushing into things." Raine added.

"I am not an idiot!" Lloyd protested indignantly.

"It shows in his hair," Emil continued. "I don't think he realizes just how much hair gel he uses everyday." he smiled. "It's like a porcupine!"

Emil looked at the pleasant expression on Marta's face. He thought it was nice to have someone to talk to and to tell what he thought of the others. But he had been tricked.

_There! My work is done!_ Marta thought diabolically. _Now I'll just sit back and let them take care of Emil for me!_ She looked over at the bushes waiting for her evil plan to be carried out.

"My… hair…?" Lloyd questioned slowly.

"'Like a porcupine!'" Sheena repeated. "Couldn't have said it better myself!"

"Seriously Lloyd, how much do you use?" Genis asked.

"He wouldn't have to use much if it was Lezareno hair gel," Regal mused putting his hand to his chin.

"It seems to defy the laws of gravity," Raine commented.

"What Raine said, it's messed up!" Zelos agreed. A mischievous expression crept across his face. "Let's cut it!" He placed his hand on his sword pommel. The Symphonia gang shouted their agreement.

"What! No!" Lloyd cried, eyes widened fearfully, he ran out into the clearing where Marta and Emil were. The Symphonia gang followed. Emil jolted to his feet, obviously startled by their sudden appearance. Marta got up smiling blissfully and retreated a few steps.

"C'mon Lloyd it'll only take a second!" Zelos persisted, sword drawn.

Lloyd stopped. "No!" he screamed. Then he turned and looked at Emil.

"And that is quite enough out of you Emil Castagnier!"

"Huh?" Emil was astonished.

"I happen to like my hair very much!" he stated, eyes blazing. "Your hair is the one that's messed up! There's that little… thing, that sticks up in the back! Oh Martel, I want to kill it! It- I just- Gah!" Lloyd put his hand over it to try and flatten it. When Emil retreated out of his reach it popped right back up.

"Agh! I hate it!"

Zelos sheathed his sword and strode up to Emil. "And what's this about me being gay?! I am not gay! See!?" Unexpectedly the Idiot Chosen grabbed Sheena and tried to kiss her, but she moved her foot around his and swept him off his feet.

"What in Martel's name was that for!" Sheena exclaimed. "You freak!"

"Ugh!" Zelos grunted as he hit the ground. "You gotta warn me when you do that." he said as he got up and dusted himself off. He looked back over at Emil. "If you ask me, you're the gay one!" He motioned to Marta. "I mean, take that little kitten over there." Her face reddened, not from flattery but from embarrassment. "Here she is practically giving you her heart and you just sit there going 'Duh…'" He shook his head. "Honestly! You're such as wallflower!"

"A wallflower?" Colette muttered. "Emil's not a flower…"

Sheena joined them. "Yeah! And why are you talking about what I wear?! Have you seen a mirror lately?! You're wearing purple with and a skirt! Or at least part of a skirt."

Emil looked down at his ridiculous getup that Tenebrae seemed to find so stylish and blushed. There was the purple half-skirt, the purple sleeveless top and the purple scarf…

"So?" Emil muttered meekly.

"It would make sense if you were talking about Aster," Colette said, still apparently pondering Zelos' earlier pun. "Asters are a type of flower." Everybody stared at her for a good minute, wondering how the heck she could be so…

"Wow…" Zelos muttered shaking his head.

"What?" Colette asked, a cute and innocent smile on her face. "What did I say?"

Getting back to the subject, Genis piped up. "You think my cooking sucks do you!" He stood smugly before Emil. The shorty stood a good foot under Emil.

"Well I didn't say that…" Emil objected.

"You must have killed your taste buds on Raine's cooking because I am an awesome cook! Right guys!" Genis said, smacking his Kendama on his open palm threateningly. Everybody nodded hastily, fearing what the shorty mage would do to them.

"See!" Genis crossed his arms proudly. Everybody was silent for a minute, then Raine spoke up.

"Emil, it is rather uncouth of you to point out the condition of my dermis and hair pigmentation. To go so far as to say it makes me seem aged and/or elderly is very discourteous."

Most of the Symphonia gang didn't know what Raine said half the time anyway but now nobody had any remote idea of what she just said now.

"Therefore, I would like you to compose a document highlighting facts of hair pigmentation and how it is passed on in genes."

"… What…?" Emil was totally and utterly confused.

"Haha! You have to write a stupid report too!" Lloyd teased, finally getting what the heck Raine was talking about.

"Ten more pages Mr. Irving." Raine reprimanded. She sighed. "Such knowledge is wasted on those who do not study…"

"What!" Lloyd groaned loudly. "This sucks!"

While Lloyd continued to complain, Regal approached Emil.

"Emil, if you, ah, needed to tell me, that my feet have a particular odor… why didn't you just tell me in private?"

"Huh?"

"It is rather… embarrassing, for someone of my stature, to be told of that particular problem in public. I would have rather you told me personally…"

As Regal and Emil were talking, and the others were arguing amongst themselves, Presea and her fuchsia pigtails walked past them.

"They just don't understand," she was saying. Emil and Regal stopped to listen to her. "They don't know what it is like to lose one's soul and to have lost sixteen year of their life. What is this gnawing feeling in my heart? Is it annoyance? Or pity…"

Emil shook his head to clear it. Nothing anyone was saying was making any sense. Suddenly Lloyd grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Why'd you have to give me more homework man! I'm screwed as is in my education!"

Then Zelos came into view. "And why'd you have to insult the Great Zelos? Ow!" Sheena had smacked him.

Everybody started arguing at once. They were all trying to say something to Emil but he couldn't hear any of them over the din of angry voices. Overwhelmed, Emil clutched his head, seemingly in pain.

"Stop it!" Ratatosk bellowed, his red eyes blazed dangerously. Everyone obeyed the commanding voice. "I'm sick and tired of hearing you all complain about the other me and all the stuff he's done wrong! Just shut up already!"

He turned to Marta, who was off to the side enjoying the spectacle. "And you!" He pointed an accusing finger at her. "You planned for this all along!"

"Ratatosk!" Marta was shocked by his presence.

"You made Emil tell you all that crap on the others and you knew they were listening! But he was too stupid to realize what was going on! This is all your fault!" He lunged towards her as if he were going to hit her. Startled, Marta tripped over a fallen branch. With a cry she hit the ground, arm held up in defense.

Ratatosk froze and Emil's green eyes flickered with alarm.

"No! Ratatosk, stop!" he shouted. The outside world melted away and Emil found himself in the strange world of white that was Ratatosk and his shared consciousness. Ratatosk was floating across from him, his aura burned crimson.

Emil faced his other self. "If I was too stupid to notice, then it's my fault, not Marta's. There's no reason to hurt her. If I hadn't interfered you might have…" he trailed off. "Apologize!"

"Apologize?!" Ratatosk exclaimed. "For what?! They're the ones who can't stop going on about all the stupid things you said!" He balled his fists. "Humans are so pathetic."

Emil shook his head. "The pathetic one is you. You always resort to violence and anger before anything else. You can't keep doing that. Now, apologize."

Ratatosk's eyes widened. The kid had never spoken to him like that. "But-" He was at a loss for words. In frustration he made a low growling sound in his throat. "Fine."

The white scenery melted away as they came out of the trance. The Symphonia gang was silently watching Emil in his trance, unable to do anything else. Finally Ratatosk opened his eyes.

"Fine," he repeated. Turning to Marta, who was still sitting on the ground, he said, "Marta, I- I'm sorry… That was… uncalled-for…" Hastily he added to Emil, "There, happy now?" He let Emil take control.

"Yes," he said. "Thank you." Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, then opened them. He smiled and offered a hand to Marta.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Marta blinked, dumbstruck. Had Emil really just confronted Ratatosk? And won? And now he was acting so nice and…

He heart melted. She'd have to rethink her opinion of Emil.

"Yes," she said acknowledging his outstretched hand. "I'll be just fine."

Before he could protest, she pulled him into a hug. This startled him, but slowly, he wrapped his arms around her too.

Then he noticed that everybody else was staring at them.

"Um, Marta?" he asked, cheeks flushing red.

"Mmm?" she replied, eyes closed, face content.

"Uh… nothing."

As the others watched, Lloyd couldn't help but wrap his arm around Colette, who replied by giggling nervously.

Regal nodded silently and smiled.

Presea too, stood silent, her face expressionless. What she was thinking at that moment was unknown to all.

Sheena felt a pang of jealousy for the bond the two had, but let it go and smiled also.

"That should be me…" Zelos mumbled quietly, Sheena hit him over the back of the head, much to his protest.

Raine had her hands clasped together against her cheek. "The affection they feel in the cores of their being is so potent that it would defy even insurmountable odds, when all else shall fail. It is most stunning…."

Genis, who wasn't really getting the whole hug thing and wanted to get away from his sister and her words-that-made-no-sense as soon as possible, grabbed a pot and wooden spoon and beat them together. "Dinner's ready!" he shouted.

Gradually the group broke off to where the food was being served. When Lloyd got there he asked, "So, Genis, what's for dinner?"

"Egg bake and noodles!" Genis announced proudly.

"What!" Lloyd exclaimed. "Then why'd you have us shuck all that corn earlier?! That has nothing to do with corn! Look, I got this cut on my finger that's been festering all afternoon when I could have been doing the load of homework Raine gave me so that she won't kill me when she finds out that I didn't…!" Lloyd proceeded to chase Genis around the campsite, the shorty mage grabbed his Kendama. "Fireball!" he shouted. And Lloyd was burned to a crisp.

* * *

Off in the other clearing, Marta and Emil finally broke the hug.

"But Emil," said Marta, "how were you able to confront Ratatosk like that? I've never seen you that way before."

"Oh, um." Emil put his arm behind his head. "I don't know. I just suddenly found that courage to do what I thought was right."

Marta smiled. "I'm glad you did. Thanks Emil.

"Now come on, let's go see what's for dinner." She started running off to where the others were. Emil followed her.

Unseen in the shadows, Tenebrae stifled a chuckle. This was the whole reason he butted into their conversation earlier. He had tested them and they had passed.

Seeing through Emil's eyes, Ratatosk couldn't help but smile as well.


End file.
